The Advantages of Swallowing Your Pride
by Veil of Shadows
Summary: Formerly Keeping It Together. Aang and Toph are having a bit of a disagreement, and Katara has to patch them up.


"Pass the water, oh great Avatar."

"Sure thing, um...sure thing."

Toph smirked. Aang made a sour face. Katara sighed. Cue "Toph and Aang's Disagreement, Take Four." There were times when she almost wished she'd just stayed at the South Pole. "Guys, we shouldn't be arguing like this. We've got enough to worry about."

"Who asked you to get involved, Sugar Queen?" Toph scowled.

"Maybe we _wouldn't _have so much to worry about if _Appa _hadn't been _stolen!_" Aang snapped, glaring at Toph.

Toph seemed to sink into herself for a moment, but she quickly snapped back. "I saved your butt. Show a little gratitude. Or is that too much for the mighty Avatar?"

"I'm saving the _world. _Show a little gratitude. Or is that too much for the mighty _Toph_?"

"Save the _world_? Don't get too full of yourself, _Avatar Aang_. You haven't even mastered Earthbending."

"Guys, _stop._"

Toph snorted. "Why do you always have to get involved?"

"Fine!" Aang cried. "I'm going for a _walk_."

Katara brought a hand up to her forehead. "Toph," she started, "I'm sorry about Aang, he's just upset--" Toph made a _hmph _noise and started to walk away. As she turned, her sleeve swept back, and Katara could see an angry red line across her arm. "You're hurt," she said. "Let me heal that--"

Toph snatched her arm away. "I don't need your help, Sugar Queen."

"Toph, that could become infected--"

"I said, _I don't need your help!_" Toph stormed off. Behind her, the flap of her earthen tent slid up with a bang.

---

"See, that's the problem," Sokka said wisely. "You're too stubborn."

"And you're not?"

"Of course not. I'm very--" here he stretched languidly-- "flexible. Anyway, the point is, you have to learn to _go with the flow_. Let go of your pride."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Hypocrite much?"

"_See_, that's your problem. You're projecting your subconscious feelings onto me. What you need is--"

"For the--" Katara opened her mouth to snap back, but then she had an idea. "Never mind. Thanks, Sokka."

"No problem."

She sighed, but it didn't matter. She knew what to do.

---

"Toph?"

"What?"

"Let me heal that arm of yours."

"I told you, I'm _fine_."

"I know." Katara took a deep, calming breath. "It's not you, it's me," she said.

"I _said--_wait, what?"

Unfortunately, Katara wasn't much of an actor. "I'm a healer. It..._bothers_ me to see people hurt," she managed, finally.

The tent door slammed back into the ground as Toph peeked out. "Really?"

"...really."

She grinned. "Well, we wouldn't want you to be _bothered_, huh, Sugar Queen? Here." And with that, she stuck out her arm.

Katara opened her waterskin, and, in one smooth motion, carefully bended the water over Toph's arm. "All right." It was little more than a scratch, really, but Katara saw she had been right: it could easily have become infected. And besides, it looked painful, something the little sigh Toph made as it faded did nothing to disprove. "There. And--thanks."

"It was nothing," Toph said smugly, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Anything for you, Sugar Queen."

"Um--" _Focus, Katara, it's all for the greater good-- _"I'm--_sorry_--about earlier."

A snort. "Yeah, you are."

"_Toph_--"

The grin again. "It's okay, Sugar Queen. I forgive you."

Katara sighed and turned to leave. _Well, at least I got her fixed up_, she thought._And she's not mad at me anymore, that's good--_

"Hey, Sugar Queen!"

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

Toph paused for a moment. "Need help with anything?" she said finally.

"Well--yeah. You can start a fire--Sokka can help, but you'll have to wake him up first--and watch over camp while I--" a sideways glance over at the fourth member of their party, perhaps it would be best to keep them separate for now-- "while _Aang _and I look for food."

Toph shrugged good-naturedly. "Sure thing, Sugar Queen."

"And--don't worry about Aang, okay? I'll talk to him for you."

"I _wasn't_...okay." Toph looked at Katara hesitantly. "Um, thanks."

Katara blinked. "You're welcome, Toph," she said slowly. Maybe swallowing her pride had been worth it after all. She'd have to thank Sokka later...or, looking down at the drooling figure on the ground, maybe not.

---

EDIT (added 9/16/06): Title and completion status changed. Edited to fix up some awkward language.

EDIT 2 (added 12/24/06): Edited to fix up awkward language.


End file.
